Alexandria: The Lost Princess

Chapter 23 - Part 1

By the end of the jousting games, it had been mid-afternoon. Turning around to leave, Kalen slips up onto the platform dripping in sweat.

"Kalen!" I cry out rushing to him and crashing into his chest.

He chuckles rubbing my arm, with reassurance, "I'm fine, princess."

Nicholas steps by us, following the King closely behind. His stare challenges Kalen, but he remains unfazed, holding the gaze undefeated in their departure.

Kalen rolls his shoulder, and I gasp, grabbing at the buckles on his armour. "What are you doing?" He chuckles curiously.

"Getting you out of this!"

"How do you know anything about armour?" He glances towards Wilfrid who shrugs in surprise himself. I pry off the, and Kalen lets out a breath of relief.

"Tristan's father."

Kalen nods remaining silent. A squire shuffles nervously at the bottom of the steps. "Could I be of assistance, my lady?" I nod eagerly.

"Yes, please! Kalen's room is on the third floor across from mine, could you deliver his armour there?"

"Would you like me to clean it first my lady?"

"No, no, it's fine. You're more than helpful." The squire boy steps up on the platform nervously, gathering up all of Kalen's armour and struggling away from us.

I press down Kalen's shirt, it's crumpled up and drenched with sweat. Kalen takes my chin pulling my head up. "A princess shouldn't be doing this," he reprimands.

The sash falls from under his shirt, and I gasp snatching it in the air. "And you shouldn't steal!" He chuckles, and I smack him. "You got me in so much trouble!"

He lifts a brow. "Did I now?"

The ladies glide off the stage, and Alice glares at him. "You did, your welcome by the way."

"For?"

Wilfrid scratches the back of his neck. "She covered for the princess's disappearing sash. Offered her's up to Nicholas in front of the King."

"Well thank you."

She shrugs, lifting her skirt and descending the steps.

Mary pauses her arms crossed, and she glares distrusting daggers towards the men. "Do you need me present, Claire?"

I swallow back the urge to giggle. "No, thank you, Mary, I can handle these brutes from here."

She bows before she and Elizabeth follow after Alice.

Kalen scratches the back of his head. "Quite the ladies you have with you."

I shake my head. "Don't even go there, they drive me insane."

Kalen snatches my necklace into his hand. Turning it over his thumb swipes across it with a silent thought. I swat his hand away. "Hurry up, your armour will take hours to whip down."

Kalen crosses his arms, "your not cleaning my armour."

I huff slapping my arms onto my hips. "If I'm stuck in that room another night bored, I might as well do something."

He rolls his eyes. "It will rust."

I shove him. "I know how to treat armour, I'm not an imbecile!"

Kalen turns waving his hand. "Do what you want, wife."

I groan, dreading the long night of teasing over this mocking title, clenching my fists, I stomp after him.